Extremely loud & incredibly slow

Over the weekend, Big & I went for a midnight movie. Not much of a selection, hence we ended up with Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. A drama by Sandra Bullock and Tom Hanks, compared to a chick flick about 2 top CIA operatives wage against one another after they discover they are dating the same woman... obvious choice yea? It just sounds too corny despite the latter features Reese Witherspoon.

It focuses on a eleven-year-old boy named Oskar Schell. His father (Hanks) died in the 911 incident and he was obsessed with the death ever since, hiding in his cupboard crying while listening to his father's voice messages just minutes before the accident. One year later, Oskar discovers a key in a vase that belonged to his father that inspires him to search all around New York for information about the key. On his quest to find the secret lock that he believed his father left for him, Oskar became acquainted with an old mute who turned out to be his extranged grandfather, became distant from his grieving mother (Bullocks) and met a myriad of strangers (214 New Yorkers named Black, to be exact).

My interpretation of the movie is- Extremely loud and incredibly slow. What's there not to like about Oskar? The sensitive, extremely intelligent, ernest boy who remained fiercely loyal to his father. What I have not told you is that, Oskar has most symptoms of an autistic child. He is afraid of everything, from public transport, tall buildings to old people. He throws fits when something is not within his control. His fear and anxiety is transferred to the audience via amplification of every single sound. Even the most soothing sound of water dripping becomes nerve-wrecking. Plus, Oskars talks way too much. Too much irrelevant information full of facts and numbers, all at train-speed and with so much anger. It is so real but so frustrating!! It only shows how convincing the director and this child actor is in delivering the story.

If you have a vexing day, this movie is definitely not a wise choice. Not all heart-warming movies create the same intended effect. It is a weary, hectic, 130 minutes-long verbose narration by Oskar the hyper-articulative, prideful and pushy kid. However it is that brutally honest- it conveys the confusion and overpowering emotions of a child who lost his father in a senseless attack.

I know Big hated the show as much as I did but he still waited patiently for it to end. Awww.